CULTURE WAR

CULTURE WARS: PORTUGUESE HERITAGE IN GOA

Culture purist in India and Goa miss a crucial point: the intervention of the Portuguese and the culture practices that evolved in this long period are crucial in the creation of Goa or how Goa developed through time. There is no Goa outside of this history of myriad culture influences converging to form its cultural characters, beginning from the time of the Estado da India. In a similar way it is also important to remember that many traditions fundamental to India culture, such as in food, developed as a result of Portuguese commercial policies. Chilies and potatoes, for instance, reached the shores of the India subcontinent some 5 centuries ago. stated in a different way, there is no pure Goan culture-whether Portuguese or India.


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Rice with fish curry (Xit kodi in Konkani) is the staple diet in Goa. Goan cuisine is renowned for its rich variety of fish dishes cooked with elaborate recipes. Coconut and coconut oil is widely used in Goan cooking along with chili peppers, spices and vinegar giving the food a unique flavour. Pork and beef dishes such as Vindaloo, Xacuti and Sorpotel are cooked for major occasions among the Catholics. An exotic Goan vegetable stew, known as Khatkhate, is a very popular dish during the celebrations of festivals, Hindu and Christian alike. Khatkhate contains at least five vegetables, fresh coconut, and special Goan spices that add to the aroma. A rich egg-based multi-layered sweet dish known as bebinca is a favourite at Christmas. The most popular alcoholic beverage in Goa is feni; Cashew feni is made from the fermentation of the fruit of the cashew tree, while coconut feni is made from the sap of toddy palms

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Goa developed an international reputation in the 1960s as one of the prime stops on the legendary India-Nepal "hippie trail". In the mid-1960s, several Westerners, including "Eight Finger Eddie" walked over the hill to Calangute, and decided to create a community for Westerners. In the early years, Calangute and Baga were the center of this scene, but it grew over the years to include other nearby cities like Anjuna Beach, which became, and arguably still is, the center of the Western youth culture of Goa. By the mid-1980s, there were over 8000 Westerners living in Goa, mostly from Western Europe. The scene was marked by drug culture, trance music and free love. Goa remains today an international center of youth culture.

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Goa a former Portuguese colony , is called 'Rome of the East' . It is considered as the most westernized state of Indian Territory as the inhabitants of Goa is enriched with cultural heritage that include folk songs, dance, music , visual arts and folk tales. The Goans are fond of football. Environment issues are prominently featured in Goa..

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Goa Dances

When one talks about the dances of Goa, your imagination tends to stop at people dancing to trance and techno music. In case you didn't know, the Goan dances extend much beyond those rave late night parties at beaches. The traditional dance of Goa gives a picture of the mindset and lifestyle of Goans. They reflect the rich historical and cultural legacy that Goa abounds in. Goa has a unique amalgamation of different cultures and the Goan dances portray this blend of different faiths very beautifully. Some very popular folk dances of Goa are Dhalo, Dekhni, Fugdi, Shigmo, Kunbi, Lamp Dance, etc.

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Shigmo
The Shigmo is a traditional dance of Goa and is performed during the advent of spring season. For farmers, this dance is symbolic of regeneration of their natural resources. This dance is also performed when soldiers return from the battlefield victorious in their mission. This dance is performed mostly during the month of March when temples are decorated lavishly to celebrate the spring festival.

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CASHEWNUT SEASON IN GOA


Goa is a state on the South Western coast of India within the coastal region known as the Konkan. It is bounded by Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea forming its Western coast. It is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Goa has the highest GDP per capita among all Indian states,^[3] that is two and a half times that of the country.^[4] It was ranked the 'best placed State' by the "Eleventh Finance Commission" for its infrastructure and ranked on top for the 'best quality of life' in India by the National Commission on Population based on the 12 Indicators.^[4]
Panaji is the state's capital, while Vasco da Gama is its largest city. The historic city of Margao still exhibits the cultural influence of the Portuguese, who first landed in the early 16th century as merchants and conquered it soon thereafter. Goa is a former Portuguese province; the Portuguese overseas territory of Portuguese India existed for about 450 years until it was annexed by India in 1961.^[5][6]
Goa is visited by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year for its white sand beaches, nightlife, places of worship and world heritage architecture. It has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, a biodiversity hotspot